Columns

It is no secret that our tax system is broken.
Did you know that the tax code has not been fully reformed in over 30 years? Right now, we have the opportunity of a lifetime to achieve fair, comprehensive tax reform and make the system work for all Americans.
Politicians in Washington have a spending problem, not an income problem. We have to distinguish the needs versus wants, which conservatives have promised the American people.

After the latest mass shooting on American soil, those looking for reasons why this happened (and in some cases trying to cover for what many people think is the real problem) are trotting out the old standby boogieman – mental illness.
In some cases, it’s easier for them to wrap their mind around why this sort of thing keeps happening in this country if they can quickly and easily place blame on a cause such as mental illness.

Last week, I was having breakfast downtown with an old friend. Usually six of us meet for breakfast on Friday morning, but four were scattered from South America to doctor’s offices, so the two of us carried on.
While we had coffee and waited for our eggs and bacon, we covered a number of topics – one was about World War II.

The news feeds continue to report the evil actions of individuals and groups who are bent on wreaking havoc against unsuspecting targets.
Today, we are hearing about the mass shooting at a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, where 26 people are dead and more than a dozen others wounded. The reports of such incidents seem to be growing with each passing week.

When I received an email from The Lancaster News asking me to write about how it felt to receive a quilt of valor from Douglas Presbyterian Church, I debated declining.
Although the quilt was presented in front of many, it felt like a private moment. A treasured moment. It was my pleasure spending time with the church honoring veterans. But as the quilts of valor – and those who award them – are worthy of recognition, I decided to accept the offer and share my thoughts.

On behalf of Lancaster Promise Neighborhood’s other co-chairs, Bruce Brumfield and Dr. Paul McKenzie, I want to express my deepest gratitude to the dozens of volunteers who came out on Oct. 21 to clean up, clear out and paint one of the homes in our zone.
Mt. Zion AME Zion Church was gracious to host the workday, which involved adult and youth representatives from AMEZ churches, Resurrection of Life Ministries, All for One Ministries, the Lancaster Breakfast Rotary Club, nonprofit organizations and local businesses.

This is in response to Linda Blackmon’s letter to the editor in Sunday’s paper.
Mrs. Blackmon, I would like to point out that The Lancaster News has written exactly what you have said since this election protest started a year ago. Nothing is one-sided.
Sometimes common sense flies out the window. A lot of us wonder why you thought you could just vote to make yourself $6,750 richer. It makes no sense. You should have asked City Attorney Mitch Norrell before you voted.

Editor’s note: Mick Mulvaney, the White House budget director and former congressman from Indian Land, appeared on CBS News’ “Face the Nation” Sunday to discuss the Republicans’ budget, which had just passed the Senate, and the president’s tax-reform plans. Here are excerpts of his discussion with host John Dickerson.

The S.C. General Assembly is far different than 27 years ago when Operation Lost Trust blew open the cozy culture of the State House with federal charges against 28 legislators and lobbyists in a cash-for-votes sting.
People went to jail. Some avoided it. Ethics rules were changed to become some of the toughest in the nation as it became virtually impossible for people to buy a cup of coffee legally for a friend in the legislature.

Editor’s note: Two Upstate legislators last week proposed a State House monument honoring black soldiers who fought for the Confederacy. In September, Sens. Greg Gregory (R-Lancaster) and Darrell Jackson (D-Richland) proposed a statue of Robert Smalls, a slave who escaped with his family on a stolen Confederate ship, fought for the North and later represented South Carolina in Congress. Dr. Bartley’s column deals with both proposals.